Needle manipulating device for hand sewing



April 1958 R. E. WILSON, JR 2,829,812

' NEEDLE'MANIPULATING DEVICE FOR HAND SEWING Filed Dec. 20, 1955 INVENTOR.

2,829,812 v NEEDLE MANIPULATING DEVICE FOR HAND SEWING Robert E. Wils on, Jr., Bloomfield, N. J. Application December 20,1955, Serial No. 554,257

7 Claims. 01. 223-410 This invention relates to animproved needle manipulating device adapted to facilitate the use of a needle in carrying out hand sewing operations.

The invention hasfor an object to provide a novel needle manipulating device adapted to be applied to a needle in use, and then grasped between the'finger and thumb of the user, whereby to apply strong non-slipping frictionally gripping pressure to the needle so as to facilitate pushing and pulling of the same through the. work being sewn. s

The invention has for another: object to provide a needle manipulating device made of pliable frictional material, such as natural or artificial rubber or the like, which, when grippingly engaged with a needle in use, offers strong frictional resistance to slippage of the needle relative thereto, and thus elfectivelytransmits thrusting or pulling force to the needle as applied thereto by the user, esp ecially when sewing materials whichtend therethrough. V a

The invention has for a further objectto providemeans for attaching a needle manipulating device, characterized as above stated, to the hand of the user, so that the same 2,829,812 Ratente d Apr. 8, 1.958

In order to provide the needle gripper member 10 with'means for attaching the same to the hand of the user,

so that it is conveniently available for use by the user at alltimes during a hand sewing operation, and therefore 'cannot be mislaidor lost, a flexible tether cord 14 of suitable length is atnxed to the needle gripper member 10 for ex tension therefrom. This tether cord 14 may be of any suitable kind of material. For example,'a nylon cord, textile cord or thread or the like may be employed. One end portion of the tether cord can be aflixed to the needle gripper member in any convenient or suitable manner; preferably however it is anchored to said needle gripper memberby disposing said end portion thereof to be between the adheredtogether plies'of the main body 11, so as to be cemented therewith and thereby in anchored relation to said main body. Connected with the opposite free end portion of thetether cord 14is a finger engagelated during a sewing operation.

to resist passage of a needle is quickly available for use at all times during hand sewing manipulating device as applied to a needle for pulling the same through'material being sewn. t

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner of forming the needle manipulating device of this invention from sheet rubber or like material.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of amodified form of the needle manipulating device according to this invention.

- Referringto the drawings, in whichlike characters of reference indicate 'cor'responding partgpne form of the [needle manipulating device, accordingto this invention,

comprises a needle gripper member 10. This needle gripper member is produced from a'preferably oblong strip or sheet X of natural or artificial rubber or the like and of suitable length, 'width and-thickness (see Fig.3). At least portions of the "areas of the opposite end portions 'of the strip or sheet X are provided with coatings Y of rubber cement or other suitable adhesive, so as to leave an intermediate area Z uncoated. The strip or sheet X having been thus prepared, the same is folded lengthwise upon itself, so as to bring the adhesive coatings Y of its end portions together in adhered relation, thus forming a two ply main body 11 of substantial face area, which terminates at its bottom end in an endwise open loop or tubular section 12 unitary therewith. The interior of the loop or tubular section 12 provides a needle reception passage 13.

latter from the material with stitch v.Fig. 2). If the material is very resistant to needle moveable member 15, adapted to encircle a finger of thehand of the user of the device, so as to suspend said device from the hand readyto be grasped by the users fingers for operative application to a needle desired to be'manipu- Said finger engageable member 15 preferably comprises a rubber band which, when applied over a users finger will contract in embracing relation thereto; To permit ready replacement of said finger engageable member 15, should it become broken or otherwise impaired, it is preferable that the same be detachably coupled to the tether cord 14. To this end, a coupling link 16 which canbe opened for reception of the finger engageable member 15 is provided, and may conveniently comprise a small safety pin, as shown.

When using the device to thrust a threaded needle N through material being sewn, the threaded rear end' portion of the needle N is entered within the passage 13 of the loop section 12 of the device (see Fig. 1). Said loop section'is thengrasped and pinched between a finger and thumb of the users hand with applied compressional force, whereby the needle is frictionally gripped by and between opposite internal sides of said loop section 12. The needle beingthusgripped and supported against slippage, can be easily thrust into and through the material being sewn, and this without irritation of the users fingers. The needle N having been thus caused to penetrate the material being sewn, although not passed entirely therethrough, maynow be pulled" on, with the, thread, outwardly through and away from the material.-- Preparatory to this, the loop section 12 of the device is withdrawn and removed from the threaded eye rear endportion of the needle, whereupon the main body 11 of thedevice, backed by a finger of the users hand; is appliedagainst the projecting point end portion of the needle, which portion is then pressed by the users thumb against the face of the main body' 11, so as to imbed the needle therein, in strong non-slipping frictional; contact therewith, whereupon pulling'force can be effectively applied to the needle, so as to withdraw the producing effect. (see menttherethrough, the loop section 12 can be engaged over and around-the'point end portion of the needle, and then pinched to grip-opposite sides of the latter, therebyto enhance the frictional contact of the device therewith'for non-slipping transmission of out pulling force thereto, again without risk of hurt to or irritation of the users fingers.

Referring to Fig. 4, a modified form of the needle manipulating device is shown thereby, which also comprises an oblong strip or sheet of natural or artificial rubber or the like folded longitudinally upon itself to form a bottom endwise open loop section 17, from the top side of which project divergent body flanges 18 and 19, the latter being joined, adjacent to the loop section 17, by opposed cemented together intermediate portions 20 and 21, between which may be anchored the tether cord 14. It will be obvious that in operatively applying this modified form of the needle manipulating device to a needle, the latter may be optionally engaged in the loop section 17 or between the body flanges 1'8- and 19 for either needle pushing or needle pulling use.

It will be understood that the needle manipulating de' vice may be made in various sizes from strip-or sheet rubber or the like or variousthicknesses, according to the kind of sewing operation and the type of material tobe sewn for which a given size and weight of the'device is bestadapted. For ordinary hand sewing operations, such as the sewing of relatively light fabrics, the device will -'be best adapted for such work when made of comparatively thin strip or sheet rubber or the like. On the other hand, for sewing of heavy materials, such as heavy cloth, canvas, rubber, leather and similar materials, as met with e. g. in upholstery work, leather fabrications, and like sewing operations, the device will be best adapted to-such work when'm'ade of relatively thick strip or sheet r ubber or the like, which is better adapted for heavy needle cushioning and gripping application.

Instead of producing the needle manipulating device from strip or sheet rubber or the like, as above described, the body member and loop section may comprise an integral formation which can be produced by a molding or extrusion process.

Although I have referred to the device of this invention as a needle manipulating device for hand-sewing, and have described its use as such, it will nevertheless be understood that the device is also welladapted for use in the handling and applying of pins to fabrics, garments or other goods, especially in cases where many pins are applied to retain the goods in suitable commercial handling and display form.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

11. A sewing needle manipulating device comprising a strip of flexibly resilient and compressible material, such as rubber, having frictional characteristics, said strip being folded lengthwise upon itself with at least portions of the meeting face areas thereof adhesively joined to provide a body member having an endwise open tubular sec- :tion formed at the foldthereof, the bore'of which is adapted to receive the needle, whereby, upon manualcompression of said section, to grip said needle for manipulation thereof in use. a

2. A sewing needle manipulating deviceaccording to claim 1 which further includes a tether cord having one end portion thereof disposed between the adhesively joined areas of the end portions of the body member forming strip, whereby to anchor said tether'cord to the body member for extension therefrom, and means connected .to the opposite endof said tether ,cord for attaching the same to the hand of the user of the device. 1

3. A sewing needle manipulating device comprising sheet of soft rubber of selected length, width and thickness, said sheet being folded lengthwise upon itself with meeting face areas thereof, outwardly of its, medial fold, adhesively joined to provide a body member, the folded medial portion of .said sheet forming an endwise open loop section bordering one end of said body member, the bore of which is adapted to receive thexneedle, whereby, upon manual compression of said section, to grip said needle for manipulation thereof in use. 1

4. A sewing needle manipulating device comprising a sheet of soft rubber of selected length, width and thickness, said sheet being folded lengthwise upon itself with meeting face areas thereof, outwardly of its medial fold, adhesively joined to provide a body member, the folded medial portion of said sheet forming an endwise open loop section bordering one end of said body member, the bore of which is adapted to receive the needle, whereby, upon manual compression of said section, to grip said needle for manipulation thereof in use, a tether cord having one end portion thereof disposed between the adhesively joined areas of the body member, whereby to anchor the tether cord to said body member for extension therefrom, and means connected to the opposite end of said tether cord for attaching the same to the hand of the user of the device.

5. A sewing needle manipulating device comprising a sheet of soft rubber of selected length, width and thickness, said sheet being folded lengthwise upon itself with at least a portion of meeting face areas thereof, outwardly of its medial fold, adhesively joined to provide a body member, the folded medial portion of said sheet forming an endwise open loop section bordering one end of said body member, the bore of which is adapted to receive the needle, whereby, upon manual compression of said section, to grip said needle for manipulation thereof in use, a tether cord having one end portion thereof disposed between the adhesively joined areas of the body member, whereby to anchor the tether cord to said body member for extension therefrom, an annular finger receiving member, and means to detachably couple the latter to free end of said tether cord.

6. A sewing needle manipulating device comprising a sheet of soft rubber of selected length, width and thickness, said sheet being folded lengthwise upon itself with meeting face areas thereof, outwardly of its medial fold and inwardly of its extremities, adhesively joined to provide a body member having divergently opposed flange portions to provide optionally usable intermediate needle reception'space, the folded medial portion of said sheet forming an endwise open loop section bordering the inner end of said body member, the bore of which is adapted to receive the needle, whereby, upon manual compression of said section, to grip the needle for manipulation thereof in use.

7. A sewing needle manipulating device according to claim 6 which further includes a tether cord having one end portion thereof disposed between the adhesively joined areas of the body member, whereby to anchor said tether cord to said body member for extension therefrom, and means connected with the free end of said tether cord "for attaching the same to the hand of theuser of the device.

References-Cited in thefile of this patent STATES PATENTS 2,671,041 Dodge Mar. 2, 1954 

